10 November 2014
Newsdesk
BBC Radio 6 Music’s ‘Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt to Work Day’ returns for the seventh year on Friday 28 November. Presenter Steve Lamacq created the day and today launches this year’s campaign to encourage 6 Music listeners to dig out their most treasured band t-shirt and wear it with pride for this one day. This year’s build up is bigger than ever and, in a radio first, Steve will be taking his programme to the British Library in London on Friday 21 November.
The campaign launches today (November 7) in Steve’s 6 Music show (4-7pm) with a very special performance - the last ever live radio session from Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. Performing at the BBC’s iconic Maida Vale studios, the audience were asked to come along wearing their fave band t-shirt.
Steve Lamacq said: “We thought we’d invent a day where we could show off our own love of music through the old shirts we all have stashed away in a cupboard. Over the past six years, it’s grown into a genuine celebration of the music t-shirt and the stories they tell. Everyone has memories attached to their favourite old shirt. It might be the gig where you bought it, or times you remember wearing it. They’re a snapshot of part of our lives, as well as being a great document of music through the past four decades – and in some cases, something of a work of art.”
In previous years people have sported their tees on building sites, under lab coats, and in classrooms, with some standing out from the crowd as a lone band t-shirt wearer, with others uniting entire offices to take part. Even the odd Hollywood star has also been known get involved. Last year Simon Pegg sent in a pic of himself in his Sisters of Mercy t-shirt and this year, Keira Knightley is helping with the call out (image attached). Also this year, Steve already has the support of Mick Fleetwood, Debbie Harry, Idlewild and Billy Idol to name but a few who have already been getting behind the campaign.
On Friday 21 November, in a radio first, Steve will be taking his programme to the British Library in London and exploring their sound archive on the show. It will be the first time a radio show has ever broadcast live from the national library of the United Kingdom, which houses one of the most fascinating and comprehensive sound archives in the world, comprising well over a million recordings. The show is coming from the Entrance Hall of the Library. With momentum building towards Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt to Work Day, the Library will be featuring a pop-up music memorabilia exhibition for one day only featuring some of its finest musical mementos. Records, album covers and old copies of the NME and Melody Maker from the Library’s collections will go on display alongside some of Steve's personal collection of fanzines, promo material and, of course, his legendary t-shirts.
On Monday 17 November, Steve will be challenging listeners to design their very own band t-shirts - perhaps to commemorate the greatest ever gig they’ve been to or that one concert they wish been at or simply their favourite band of all time. Entries close on Thursday 27 November and Steve will select just one design to be printed which he will wear in the last hour of his show on T-Shirt Day itself. The winning designer will receive a host of t-shirts designed by some of Steve’s 6 Music presenting family.
Listeners who wear their band t-shirts on the day will be able to send in their pictures via email, Twitter at #6musictshirtday and on Instagram and some will receive a t-shirt specially designed by Sheffield artist, Pete McKee. The Yorkshireman has worked with musicians including The Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley and Oasis.
